The Shadow Special #1
Written by Scott Beatty
Art by Ronan Cliquet
Colors by Mat Lopes
Letters by Rob Steen
Cover by Alex Ross
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: December 26, 2012
Cover Price: $4.99

The Shadow Special #1 is a really fun read. It’s not life-changing or Earth-shattering; it’s just a fun book to read. And what more can you ask for?

Scott Beatty turns in a very entertaining story, that delves into the past of LaMont Cranston and his life before becoming The Shadow. It’s part mystery, all action-adventure, and reminds me of a comic that I would’ve read about 10 years ago, but in a GOOD way. It’s fun from start to finish, and there’s some GREAT period stuff in this issue. It’s also very adult in nature. Now, I don’t mean it’s full of nudity and cursing, but the subject matter is very dark and might not be suitable for younger readers. That being said, this is a great book to check out if you want to start reading The Shadow. It’s a taste of what you get every month in Shadow comics, so rather than pick up an issue of the monthly title, give this a try and see if it’s something that you’d like to read.

Artist Ronan Cliquet has a very different style than that of what we’re used to seeing in The Shadow comics. What we’ve seen there so far is a grim and gritty, dirty, but glamorous portrayal of New York City and of the Shadow’s world. Cliquet has a very nice, crisp, clean style that I found surprisingly different from what I’ve been used to, but also a very refreshing change of pace. I’d like to see him do more in the Shadow’s universe.

The Shadow Special #1 is a nice place to jump on and test the waters. And, if you’re all ready a fan of The Shadow, this is another fun adventure. It’s slightly lighter than the monthly comic, but it’s much darker in tone than your average comic. Well worth the money.